Dear Garmin, when will we have gear selection on our watch?

Hi

The title is pretty self-explanatory. The 5X Plus is my third Fenix series watch (F3 and F5X prior to that) and my fourth Garmin watch.

Given that my watch can now play music and pay for things (amazing!), why can't it do something simple like receiving an updated gear list from Garmin Connect at each sync and then offering me a gear selection option as I start an activity. Ability to see simple gear totals on the watch would also be great.

On a somewhat related note - why can't the watch receive simple/graphable sleep stats from Garmin Connect (last night's sleep for the "My Day" widget, last 7 days' sleep for a graph similar to resting HR) and display it on the watch?

TIA

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0 Former Member over 6 years ago

+1

But I also want it a step further... I want my sensors to remain in off status and when you start an activity, start searching for sensors I have enabled for that activity. Let me provide an example, I have three cycling activities Each one named after the bike F10 Dogma, Litespeed, BMC... with the appropriate data fields for the sensors on the bike, my F10 has a power meter, my litespeed has a wheel and cadence sensor for example.

Why have all the sensors always searching for a connection? When I start an activity with a bike with a pared power meter, why not enable the sensor then automatically and disable it when the activity ends.

0 TrippyZ over 6 years ago

It is not always searching for sensors. It searches only for a few minutes when you start an activity.

0 jim_m_58 over 6 years ago

Like TrippyZ said it only is search at the start, and by searching, the watch is just basically listening to see what's transmitting. In my case I have a HRM band, a Tempe, and two footpods, and any given day I might not have any of them, or maybe one and not another, so the search is useful.

When the OP was talking gear, lets say you have two different pairs of shoes (or in your case, two different bikes), and I think he was looking for a way to say "Today I have Pair 2" from the watch instead of entering later on Garmin Connect so he can easily track Pair 1 and Pair 2 distance, etc. (Some will "retire" shoes after they've been used for x miles in total - the gear tracking thing and not related to a specific activity)

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

It is not always searching for sensors. It searches only for a few minutes when you start an activity.

Like TrippyZ said it only is search at the start, and by searching, the watch is just basically listening to see what's transmitting. In my case I have a HRM band, a Tempe, and two footpods, and any given day I might not have any of them, or maybe one and not another, so the search is useful.

When the OP was talking gear, lets say you have two different pairs of shoes (or in your case, two different bikes), and I think he was looking for a way to say "Today I have Pair 2" from the watch instead of entering later on Garmin Connect so he can easily track Pair 1 and Pair 2 distance, etc. (Some will "retire" shoes after they've been used for x miles in total - the gear tracking thing and not related to a specific activity)

That is just not true. I start and end many activities at home, attached to my backpack (in my house) is a Garmin Tempe very often As I run or ride up to the house, my Tempe connects all the time before I end the ride.

My point is I would like the sensor to be able to be grouped by activity, so maybe I only want the Tempe to connect if I start a hike for example instead of taking over my temperature widget all the time. I clearly understood the OP post regarding gear, that is why I +1 the post, totally agree, I have a ton of gear and I would love to be able to track it without having to go back in and remove default gear from my activities and add the right bike or right shoes.

0 jim_m_58 over 6 years ago

I beleive that will happen once the tempe is connected and drops out. Once it's connected, it will keep listening for it. If I start an app at home and it connects to the tempe, but I leave it at home, it will be listening for data when I get back home. BTW, the Tempe is a bit different in the way it works, in that it can take longer to connect than other sensors, as it only transmits new data every minute, and seems to allow for misses when trying. The Tempe is different in that way, and it also transmits 24/7

The point is, you are looking for something different than the OP, in that he's looking for way to assign gear to an activity from the watch instead of doing it later in Garmin Connect or having it auto assigned by GC.

0 nmyeti over 6 years ago

I would just like to be able to set different shoes as default for trail running than for running. That doesn't even need to be done on the watch.

0 jim_m_58 over 6 years ago

Yes it looks like the default gear based on activity doesn't have trail running, just running. I've used it for walking vs hiking (which you can do) with shoes vs boots. Seems they need to expand the list of activities to auto-assign gear.

BTW, I just did a test with the Tempe. I put it in a metal box on the other side of the house, and started the run app, with the temperature DF. It showed the internal temperature (updates more than every minute, and tends to be higher than the Tempe) so the Tempe wasn't connected and easy to see when it was. After 10 minutes, got the Tempe and clipped it on while the run was still recording, and it's still showing the internal value and never connects to the tempe. So, the watch doesn't keep searching for it and stops trying after a bit.

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

I beleive that will happen once the tempe is connected and drops out. Once it's connected, it will keep listening for it. If I start an app at home and it connects to the tempe, but I leave it at home, it will be listening for data when I get back home. BTW, the Tempe is a bit different in the way it works, in that it can take longer to connect than other sensors, as it only transmits new data every minute, and seems to allow for misses when trying. The Tempe is different in that way, and it also transmits 24/7

The point is, you are looking for something different than the OP, in that he's looking for way to assign gear to an activity from the watch instead of doing it later in Garmin Connect or having it auto assigned by GC.

The point is I am looking for the same thing the OP was asking for (and more). I would be happy just to get the gear selection capability. Easy killer, I am not trying to argue with you.

0 dkatchalov over 6 years ago

Great discussion!

Gear selection in Garmin Connect Mobile is a complex, multi-step affair. Yes it is a first world problem but it is annoying.

Selecting gear on the watch before you start an activity is simple and logical for any athlete and makes this a "set and forget process".

0 etparks over 6 years ago

Sure would make sense to have this capability...